Warner Catalog Titles on BD/UHD

[swo17]

Warners has released B&W film noirs from 40's on Blu before with The Postman Always Rings Twice coming out fairly recently for instance.

What else? The only other one coming to mind is The Maltese Falcon.

[domino harvey]

As someone who just screened Out of the Past, I can attest that it needs some clean-up work, as do a lot of Warners' early Noir releases. They may not be released because Warners doesn't have HD scans ready (and doesn't see the need to make them?)

[FrauBlucher]

That's my point Domino. A Star is Born, a dark musical color film was a labor of love. Their words. Took them a long time, that needed lots of work. And they did it. Out of the Past, as you say, they probably don't see the need, which is most likely very accurate.

[felipe]

So what you mean, FrauBlucher, is that Warner is biased against film noir?

[Ashirg]

Their prints for RKO and Monogram titles are never going to be the same quality as prints for Warner and MGM which were generally preserved better.

[captveg]

10/10/14

The NeverEnding Story (1984) - 30th Anniversary
The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990)

[FrauBlucher]

So what you mean, FrauBlucher, is that Warner is biased against film noir?

No, no, bias is the wrong word. WB just has a strong preference to release color films (musicals, action and thrillers) because they are most likely the classic films that sell (I can't tell you how many times I've had people tell me, why would you buy a B&W on blu ray). Serious film buffs will buy B&W films, but the serious eclectic film buff is a very small percentage when compared to the pedestrian movie viewer. Warner doesn't cater to the cinephile.

The following is a list of all the blu rays Warner has released. Only films with theatrical release dates prior to 1970. Included are films from Samuel Goldwyn Library. And the blus from WAC are included as well.

This one gets me. In 1960 they chose to release Ice Station Zebra and have not released Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Even after Elizabeth Taylor died in March of 2011. And "Who's Afraid..." has been transferred to HD because I saw it on TCM-HD and it looked gorgeous. Wexler's work was stunning. The blu would be spectacular. But Warner doesn't care unless it's technicolor.

The crux for me is it wouldn't be so disappointing if Warner license out some of the films they'll never intend to release on blu ray.

I'd like to hear some comments.

This was all sourced from the ShopWB site...
1960…..- Time Machine (1960), The Green Berets (1968), Grand Prix (1966), Point Blank (1967), 2001 Space Odyssey (1968), Viva Las Vegas (1964), Dirty Dozen (1967), Ocean’s Eleven (1960), King of Kings (1961), Doctor Zhivago (1965), Cool Hand Luke (1967), Bullitt (1968), Battle of Bulge (1965), Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Cincinnati Kid (1965), Camelot (1967), Wild Bunh (1969), Ice Station Zebra (1968), Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), How the West Was Won (1962), The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964, Color), The Music Man (1962, Color), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (B&W, 1962), The Haunting (B&W, 1963), Dead Ringer (B&W, 1964), Lolita (B&W, 1962), WAC titles- Gypsy (1962), Billy Rose’s Jumbo (1962), The Americanization of Emily (B&W, 1964),

Tally- 29 films, 24 Color and 5 B&W

1950….. -American In Paris (1951), Ben Hur (1959), North By Northwest (1959), Singin In the Rain (1952), The Searchers (1955), Quo Vadis (1951), Forbidden Planet (1956), Giant (1956), East of Eden (1955), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), House of Wax 3D (1953), Guys and Dolls (Samuel Goldwyn Title 1955), Hans Christian Anderson (Samuel Goldwyn Title, 1952), Star is Born (1954), Gigi (1958), Dial M for Murder 3D (1954), Jailhouse Rock (B&W, 1957), The Bad Seed (B&W, 1956), Strangers on The Train (B&W, 1951), A Streetcar Named Desire (B&W 1951), WAC title- Kismet (1955), Hit the Deck (1955)

Tally- 22 films, 18 Color and 4 B&W

1940…..- Easter Parade (1948), Meet Me St Louis (1944), Fort Apache (B&W, 1948), Mrs. Miniver (B&W, 1942), White Heat (B&W, 1949), Maltese Falcon (B&W, 1941), Postman Always Rings Twice (B&W, 1946), Treasure of the Sierra Madre (B&W, 1948), Best Years of Our Lives (B&W from Samuel Goldwyn Library, 1946), The Bishops Wife (B&W from Samuel Goldwyn Library, 1947)

Tally- 10 films, 2 Color and 8 B&W

1930….- The Wizard of Oz (1939), Gone With the Wind (1939), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), The Women (B&W, 1939), King Kong (B&W, 1933), Grand Hotel (B&W, 1932), Petrified Forest (B&W, 1936), Public Enemy (B&W, 1931), Little Caesar (B&W, 1931), Mutiny on The Bounty (B&W, 1935)

Tally- 10 films, 3 color and 7 B&W

1920....- The Big Parade (1925, B&W) The Jazz Singer (1927, B&W)

One more thing...I did not include the Paramount titles. It is only a distribution deal WB.

[felipe]

Didn't they say they had plans for Virginia Woolf for 2014? I could be mistaken though.

[captveg]

Guys and Dolls is also Samuel Goldwyn, as is the unlisted Hans Christian Andersen (1952, Color)

They've also released:

A Streetcar Named Desire (1952, B&W), The Big Parade (1925, B&W) The Jazz Singer (1927, B&W), The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964, Color), The Music Man (1962, Color)

Warner Archive also released Hit the Deck (1955, Color)

[Miguel M Santos]

1950….. -American In Paris (1951), Ben Hur (1959), North By Northwest (1959), Singin In the Rain (1952), The Searchers (1955), Quo Vadis (1951), Forbidden Planet (1956), Giant (1956), East of Eden (1955), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), House of Wax 3D (1953), Guys and Dolls (1955), Star is Born (1954), Gigi (1958), Jailhouse Rock (B&W, 1957), The Bad Seed (B&W, 1956), Dial M for Murder 3D (B&W, 1954), Strangers on The Train (B&W, 1951), WAC title- Kismet (1955)

Tally- 19 films, 15 Color and 4 B&W

Actually one less B&W, as Dial M for Murder is in colour.

[FrauBlucher]

Didn't they say they had plans for Virginia Woolf for 2014? I could be mistaken though.

I believe this is an unconfirmed rumor. It was mentioned on another forum but it never came from WB.

Captveg and Miguel, thanks for corrections and stuff I left off.

[domino harvey]

Jesus Christ, Warners: New "Diamond Luxe Anniversary Line" features umpteenth Blu-ray editions of Ben-Hur, Forrest Gump, the Green Mile, Gremlins, and Natural Born Killers

[perkizitore]

I am sure they will also release them in Super Duper Ultra Limited Deluxe with real diamonds edition with a MSRP of 10K

[Gregory]

-The Art of Screenplay Adaptation
-The Make-up of Forrest Gump
-Through the Ears of Forrest Gump – Sound Design
-Building The World of Forrest Gump
-Seeing is Believing – The Visual Effects of Forrest Gump
-Screen Tests
-Theatrical Trailer
-Remember Trailer

Maybe next special edition they can include a few more featurettes:
-The Catering of Forrest Gump
-The Gaffer Tape of Forrest Gump
-Bubba's Protruding Lower Lip: A Look Back

[criterion10]

Jesus Christ, Warners: New "Diamond Luxe Anniversary Line" features umpteenth Blu-ray editions of Ben-Hur, Forrest Gump, the Green Mile, Gremlins, and Natural Born Killers

Ugh, I hate those fuckers ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)

Warner Home Video? More like Wanker Home Video.

[domino harvey]

More like Wannanother Home Video

[domino harvey]

-The Art of Screenplay Adaptation
-The Make-up of Forrest Gump
-Through the Ears of Forrest Gump – Sound Design
-Building The World of Forrest Gump
-Seeing is Believing – The Visual Effects of Forrest Gump
-Screen Tests
-Theatrical Trailer
-Remember Trailer

Maybe next special edition they can include a few more featurettes:
-The Catering of Forrest Gump
-The Gaffer Tape of Forrest Gump
-Bubba's Protruding Lower Lip: A Look Back

Special speculative features:

What would Lt Dan's son's experience be like dying in Desert Storm and/or his grandson dying in Operation Iraqi Freedom?

Jenny: What would Social Justice Bloggers say?

Forrest Gump in 90s: He invented snap bracelets and Dunk-a-Roos

[FrauBlucher]

At times, they have become a parody of themselves.

I would love to hear the WB execs sitting around the brainstorming table trying to think of ways to re-release their titles.

[willoneill]

Who's really worse though, WB or the people who are obviously re-buying these over anad over again. Obviously everyone reading this is waiting for Warner to put some Film Noir or old silents or whatever on blu, but one has to assume that the average buyer just has a dedicated GWTW/Wizard of Oz collecting shelf.

Note: not sure why I had to specify "old" silents ... whatever, it's Friday

[cdnchris]

I still haven't picked up Ben Hur, but i'm thinking I should wait for the 57th anniversary edition. What do you think?

[domino harvey]

I paid like eight dollars for the Blu-ray twofer with the Ten Commandments (so like two bucks a disc). Why would any stupid son of a bitch pay for another release of something Warners is practically giving away

[aox]

Not that it matters to me, but none of these films are getting remastered with new scans, right? This really is just repackaging?

[felipe]

Not that it matters to me, but none of these films are getting remastered with new scans, right? This really is just repackaging?

Probably not remastered, but most of them have new special features (The Green Mile has 2 blu-ray discs, while the previous release was 1 disc only).

[felipe]

Who's really worse though, WB or the people who are obviously re-buying these over anad over again.

I'm not quite sure people are re-buying, maybe it's just that a lot of people don't already have these titles (or moved to blu recently) so a new release may get their attention, and they might be willing a pay a little more for the new version, as they haven't spent on that title yet (or maybe just on the dvd 10 years ago).

[manicsounds]

Well, at least most of them are coming with new extras. Been looking to get "Natural Born Killers" but was pondering whether to go for the theatrical or director's cut disc, but this new one makes it an easier choice.